


Stature

by nishizono



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-04-13
Updated: 2011-04-13
Packaged: 2017-10-20 23:24:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/218235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nishizono/pseuds/nishizono
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for the promt: "Arthur/Merlin, height difference. Merlin loves the fact that he's taller than Arthur. Arthur does not love said fact."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stature

"No one even notices."

" _I_ notice," said Arthur without taking his eyes off the procession.

Merlin sighed. Technically, Arthur should have been on the royal dais with Uther, not standing with the commoners, being aggravating, but he'd been having one of his off days and insisted on watching from the sidelines. That meant he was Merlin's problem for the afternoon, which was why Merlin was practically attached to his side. He was under armed guard, of course, but experience had taught Merlin that leaving Arthur to the protection of his knights was akin to wrapping a child in paper and then leaving it in a wolf den.

"Quit standing so close, you're just making it more obvious," said Arthur, edging away. "Honestly, Merlin, sometimes I think you go out of your way to embarrass me."

That was true, actually, though as far as Merlin was concerned, Arthur had only himself to blame. You couldn't be an utter prat _and_ be easy to goad; that was just inviting people to humiliate you. Of course, Merlin would never say as much out loud. What he actually replied with was, "I'm sorry my height embarrasses you so much, Sire. I'll have Gaius chop me off at the ankles straight away."

"Stop trying to be funny. Haven't I told you not to do things you're no good at?"

"I'm the funniest person you know," said Merlin.

Arthur glanced over at him, smirked, then looked away again. "Funny looking, maybe."

"Says the man who's spent the last half hour worrying that everyone is laughing at him for being short."

"I'm not short," said Arthur, and made to step on Merlin's foot. Merlin avoided the stomp at the last second and pulled away, laughing. Arthur scowled. "I'm a perfectly respectable height."

"For a nine year old," agreed Merlin.

"You impudent--" Arthur began, then huffed, crossed his arms, and looked away. After a few minutes, he muttered, "I could have you put in the stocks, you know."

Merlin grinned and made sure he was well out of kicking distance before muttering under his breath, "At least we'd be the same height for awhile if you did, Sire."

Arthur's look could have singed the whiskers off a dragon. "I heard that."


End file.
